Seeking employment in Spain is not easy, particularly outside the major cities where unemployment is high, Also, if you don't qualify to live and work in Spain as a member of an EC country, then obtaining a residence card can be time-consuming and frustrating. Americans and other foreigners without the automatic right to work in Spain must have their employment approved by the Spanish Ministry of Labour (Ministerio de Trabajo) and obtain a visa before entering the country.

You shouldn't plan on obtaining employment here unless you have a firm job offer, special qualifications or experience for which there is a strong demand. If you are seeking a particularly well paid job then you should speak fluent Spanish. Being attracted to Andalucia by its weather and lifestyle is laudable but doesn't rate highly as an employment qualification.

Many people turn to self-employment or starting a business to make a living, although this path is strewn with pitfalls for the unwary. Many foreigners don't do sufficient homework before moving here. While hoping for the best, you should prepare for the worst case scenario and be sure that you have a contingency plan in place, including sufficient emergency funds to last until you are established.

One of the best places to look for a job in the Costa del Sol area is SUR in English which has an extensive classifieds section and is published every Friday where it is distributed throughout international bookstores, supermarkets, bars and restaurants. To subscribe to SUR in English, write to Circulation Department, SUR in English, Avda Dr Marañon 48, 29009, Malaga. The Entertainer free newspaper published each Thursday has a similar clasified section covering Costa Almeria as well. See our review of the local English language print media.

On the Costa del Sol, hotels, bars and restaurants are by far the largest employers of seasonal workers and jobs are available year round, from hotel managers to kitchen hands. Experience, qualifications and fluent Spanish are required for all the better and higher paid positions, although a variety of jobs are available for the untrained and inexperienced. Be warned that if accommodation with cooking facilities or full board isn't provided with a job, it can be expensive, particularly during the summer when you are competing with seasonal tourists willing to pay a high price for break.